Summary

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However, one thing you can’t do is set up and save routes with multiple waypoints, as there is no way of creating these. However, once you have set up your main route, you can add extra destinations via which to travel on the way. Once your route is up and running, the Plan Route button switches to Change Route, which calls up the ability to add waypoints, but also a roadblock avoidance facility plus alternate route calculation option. The Start integrates TomTom’s IQ Routes, too, so figures out a path based on real road speeds taking historical traffic information into consideration. As a result, a different route will be created depending on time of day and day of week.

The strip of icons beneath the two main ones are mostly used for configuring settings, such as turning the sound off and on. Switching the map display between day and night modes must be performed manually using one of these icons as well. The middle icon is labelled Help, and calls up a mini map and verbal description of your current position with the options to find a subset of POIs in the vicinity. The 'Drive to help' option locates medical facilities including doctor, hospitals, dentists and pharmacies in the area, as well as repair garages and police stations. The 'Phone for help' option adds nearby vets and public transport, which mostly includes railways stations. Listings for 112 and the AA are also provided, but no RAC or Green Flag.

The Options icon also includes TomTom’s Map Corrections system, so you can make a note of any areas where the map on the device differs from reality. These are uploaded to TomTom’s servers for verification when you update the device using TomTom’s Home desktop PC software.

The navigational map view is the same as the TomTom sat-nav generation before the GO x50 LIVE, although the recent changes are mainly cosmetic. This incorporates every piece of information you could want into a strip along the bottom. As well as your current speed and the limit on the road you’re using, there’s a symbol showing the next turning, the time and distance to your destination, plus the estimated time of arrival. Warnings of safety camera locations pop up showing the prevailing limit so you can check your speed, with a subtle but obvious ping. However, one feature missing on the Start that other contemporary TomTom devices have is Lane Guidance. So no full-screen graphic is displayed at complex motorway interchanges to tell you which carriageway to be in at the turning.

Verdict

TomTom has pared down features to the bare essentials to create the Start. However, it still gets the basic job of getting from A to B done. The current RRP of the version with UK and Ireland maps is under £100, and some vendors are already offering the Start for much less. At £89.99, the Start is a bargain. If all you want is a dependable sat-nav for the occasional trip rather than daily commuting, TomTom’s Start offers the best value currently available.